Lady&#39;s handbag



E. G. SMITH LADYS HANDBAG May 4, 1943.

Filed Sept. 24, 1942 INVENTOR ELIZABETH (3. SMITH Patented May 4, 1943 cmrso STATES ear s-NT OFFl cs LADYS HANDBAG Elizabeth G. Smith, Bronx, N. Y., assignor to Mark Cross Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 24, 1942, Serial No. 459,584

3 Claims.

The invention here disclosed relates to ladies handbags and the like.

Special objects of the invention are to provide a handbag of the envelope type of construc tion, which may be carried as abrief case or as be particularly pleasing and attractive in appearance.

The foregoing and other desirable objects are attained by certain novel features of construction, combinations and relations of parts,"all as hereinafter setforth, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and broadly covered in the claims.

The drawing referred to illustrates one of the present preferred embodiments of the invention.

Structure however, may be modified and changed as regards this disclosure, all within the true intent and broad scope of the invention as hereinafter defined and claimed.

Fig. l is a perspective view of one of the bags in the closed condition and with the handles retracted as for carrying the bag under the arm.

Fig. 2' is another perspective view showing the handles drawn out as for carrying the article as a, swagger bag or brief case and the inside closing flap in a partly open condition.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the bag as on the plane of line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail illustrating the formation of the gusset to fit the inside closing fiap.

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of the inverted gusset structure, astaken on substantially the plane of line 5--5 of Fig. 2.

The bag shown consists of the front and back I. 8, connected by the infolded bottom 9, and end gussets Ill, II.

This bag is closed at the top by a flap It, attached to and forming in elfect an extension of the back. This flap instead of closing down over the front or face of the bag as in conventional practice, fits down inside the front Wall and is secured by means of a locking tab l3, sliding down inside a holding strap l4, secured over the inner face of the front Wall.

To facilitate opening and closing operations and particularly the sliding of the locking tab into and out of the retainer strap, said tab is shown as hingedly connected with the edge of the closure fiap along an axis represented by the line l5, Fig. 2, and as having an upward extension is, forming a handle by which the locking tab may be positively guided and conveniently rock-ed one way or the other on the hinging line it. Also, this locking tab handle extension may be added as indicated to provide a firm holding grasp in the retainer strap, to provide a convenient grip for the fingers and to impart suiiic'ient firmness and stiffness for the whole pad to be used as a lever on the edge of the closure flap.

The handle portion or the locking tab is shown in Figs. 1 and as extendin ap roximately to the height of the arched portion of the flap l2, so as to be always in easy grasp of the fingers.

The bag may have any usual or special arrangement of inside pockets. In the example, an inside pocket is indicated at H, on the inside or the front wall, extending up below the retainer strap ti) receive and possibly aid in holding the lower edge portion of the locking tab.

The ioiding or the closure flap to the inside leaves the front of the bag exposed and clear for ornamental and other purposes. This construction furthermore makes it practical to use receding handles l8, lit, and to slidingly mount these as indicated at 28, direct in the front and back walls. 7

In the retracted position, Fig. 1, only the tops of the handles will show, below the upper edge of the front and, back walls, where they then serve as ornamental features of the bag. In such relation, they are out of the way of the handle pad l6, and the bag then is in a form convenient for use as an underarm bag.

When the handles are drawn out as for carrying the bag like a brief case, Fig. 3, they project beyond and in effect overlap the envelope fiap and the locking tab, serving as guards overstanding and protecting these parts.

The gussets l0 and H, are shown as of the inverted type, folded inwardly and secured by concealed stitching 2!, Fig. 5. This provides additional space at the ends of the bag for the inside closing flap and leaves the front and back faces of the bag clear of edge'stitching, except for the reinforcement stitching 22, about the upper edge and corners of the front and back walls and which latter, may constitute portions of the ornamentation of the bag.

The upper edges of the gussets are shown as rounded at 23, Figs. 3 and 4, to substantially fit and coact with the closure flap and a special feature of this structure, appearing in Figs. 2' and 4, is that the forward edge of each gusset fold is reduced or lowered on a flatter curve at 2 5, to af ford clearance for the inside folding of the closure flap. In this way, the gussets do not interfere with the closure flap and are made to cooperate with the closure to prevent escape of any of the bag contents.

The pivotally connected handle and locking tab provides a convenient means for opening and closing the flap and a secure but readily accessible and easily operable device for holding the flap closed. Further security is provided by the receding handles, which when withdrawn, will act as guards overlapping and covering the flap and locking tab handle. All parts may be made of leather, leather substitutes, fabrics or other nonmetallic materials and need for metallic fastenings or parts is entirely avoided.

What is claimed is:

1. A bag of the character disclosed, having front and back walls, a closure flap extending from said back wall and foldable down inside said front wall, a stiff pad hingedly connected with the downwardly folding edge of said closure flap along an axis substantially corresponding to the free edge of said flap, said hingedly connected pad having a free portion extending below the edge of said flap to form a locking tab and having a free portion extending above the edge of said fiap to form an upstanding handle for raising and lowering the flap and a stiff lever for rocking the lower locking tab portion about the hinging axis of the pad and a retainer inside said front Wall for receiving and holding said locking tab portion closely confined against the front wall of the bag.

2. A bag of the character disclosed, having front and back walls, a closure flap extending rocking the lower locking tab portion about the hinging axis of the pad, a retainer inside said front wall for receiving and holding said locking tab portion closely confined against the front wall of the bag, the upstanding handle portion of said stiff pad projecting upwardly over the front face of the closure flap when the bag is closed and carrying handles on the front and back walls projecting upwardly a short distance above the upper end of said handle portion of the pad and the top of said closure fiap, forming guards preventing access to said handle portion and closure flap when said carrying handles are grasped for carrying purposes.

3. A bag of the character disclosed, having front and back walls, a closure flap extending from said back wall and foldable down inside from said front wall, a stiff pad hingedly connected with the downwardly folding edge of said 010- sure flap along an axis substantially corresponding to the free edge 'of said flap, said hingedly connected pad having a free portion extending below the edge of said flap to form a locking tab and having a free portion extending above the edge of said flap to form an upstanding handle for raising and lowering the flap and a stiff lever for rocking the lower locking tab portion about the hinging axis of the pad, a retainer inside said front wall for receiving andv holding said locking tab portion closely confined against the front 'wall of the bag, the upstanding handle portion of said stiff pad projecting upwardly over the front face of the closure flap when the bag is closed and carrying handles on the front and back walls projecting upwardly a short distance above the upper end of said handle portion of the pad and the top of said closure flap, forming guards preventing access to said handle portion and closure flap when said carrying handles are grasped for carrying purposes, and said carrying handles having sliding receding mounting in said front and back walls and positioned to stand below said upstanding handle portion of the pad when in 

